There have been mega changes in the world of the Clark's Pie.
The Victoria Park shop on Cowbridge Road East has had a major re-branded has become Mary's Clarks Pie Company. The re-branding as coincided with a number of new products being available even a vegetarian option, yes vegetarians get everywhere. It was about the only shop in Cardiff that could honestly be called vegetarian free, but now it's famous tag is no more. Only the Victory Park shop has made the changes for fans of the old tradition shop there is still the Clark's Pie shop on Paget Street/Bromsgrove Street, Grangetown.
In the old days, the shops only sold three products a large pie, small pie and a pasty. The new additions to the Clark's Pie family are a new Corn beef and Potato pasty, which comes in a small or regular size, and there is a Cheese and Onion pasty the vegetarian option.
I have tried the new pasty and it was better than Greggs and Burtons offerings. I find the fillings in those two tiny compared to the new Clarks pasty and the original. Hand on heart I still prefer the original Clarks pasty, but would not gutted if I have to have the new Corn beef and Potato pasty.
On the pie front with four new pies added to the original two pies. The four pies are
Steak Pie - What a great pie and boy it was tasty. The filling was meaty and the gravy was top noch. These pies should fly out the door at Mary's Clark's Pie shop. The pastry felt a bit lighter to me, but was still firm to hold in the hand while eating.
Steak and Kidney Pie - I don't like Kidney so I had to farm out this tasting to a friend and fellow pie lover. I had to pay out of my pocket so it was a bit galling to see him raved on about it, had a pop at me for not liking Kidney, and thanked me for the free pie.
Chicken Balti Pie - I have a problem with chicken in a pie I have never warmed to the idea. I was a chicken pie virgin before biting into this pie, but it was worth me losing my virginity to this pie. Chunk chicken and very tasty I love chicken balti and I can see myself indulging in other one super pies again.
Chicken and Vegetable Pie - No way, No way, No way I just cannot eat a pie with white gravy never in a million years so it was so back to my resident official pie tester. He told me he was not sure about white gravy in a pie as well. However, has he popped the last piece of pie into his mouth you could tell he had no reservation about it. His verdict on it was a tad Oliver Twisty 'Please, sir,' replied the pie tester, 'I want some more.' He loved it in other words, but it is not for me.
Things you do
Always try to buying your pie from the two official shops, Victoria Park, Canton or Paget Street/ Bromsgrove Street, Grangetown. Although now they sell a pie in packaging with is on sale in a number of local outlets and will soon delivery nationwide (Online ordering coming soon). Only buy a hot pie if you plan to eat it straight away or you live close to one of the shops. Remember a hot pie cost more so if you wanted a pie for later buy a cold one.
The Clark's pie has been designed to be eaten in an upright position while walking, the hardcore way to eat a Clarkies. A professor of the Clarkies at Cardiff University as produced a paper on how to eat the Clarkies. According to his research there are two ways of thinking on this subject of eating a Clark's pie.
There is the big chunk biter, which can be messy, and dangerous when eating a hot pie. Remember the Burns Unit is based in Swansea Morriston hospital. The nibbler is someone who eats the pie in either a clockwise or anti- clockwise directions around the pie until they reach the tasty filling and continues in the fashion until the end. There is a third way but I would not recommend it just slap it on a plate.
There is the big chunk biter, which can be messy, and dangerous when eating a hot pie. Remember the Burns Unit is based in Swansea Morriston hospital. The nibbler is someone who eats the pie in either a clockwise or anti- clockwise directions around the pie until they reach the tasty filling and continues in the fashion until the end. There is a third way but I would not recommend it just slap it on a plate.
Things you do not do if you can avoid it
If you need a vital Clarkies fix, the fish and chips shop is your best bet or a corner shop if you are lucky. If you are forced to buy from a fish shop remember to ask for the pie separate from the chips as when you get home nine times out of 10 you will find the pie flatten when you get home. I am not a fan of fish shop bought Clarkies, but at a push, it is better than going pieless.
Most corner shops slap the pie in the microwave, not a very good idea it turns the pie to jelly, so buy it cold and pop it in the oven when you get home. There are knife and fork pie eaters who insist on placing a Clarkies on a plate and set about it was a knife and fork and smother it in with sauce or gravy with extras to make it a full on meal. Not for the hardcore fans, there is nothing wrong with it, but it just does not look or feel right.
Statement of fact according to me
Clarkies are built to stand on their own and do not need a foil tray to hold it altogether.
The Small Clarkies although very nice it is not for the grown man or women, it is more of a training pie for the younger generation.
A world record for eating a Clarkies in any given time has yet to be set to my knowledge. My record for wolfing down a Hot Large Pie was set a number of years ago just under four minutes, but the pie was f**king hot and remember I am a nibbler.
My First Clarkies
I can remember my first pie like yesterday. I was mitching from school with some friends over the Marl playing fields in Grangetown it was a hot day close to the summer holidays.
It was getting close to dinnertime and the pangs of hunger meant time for something to eat. As a rule, we would head for a local fish and chip shop and buy a large bag of chips and share them, but one of my friends said he wanted to go to the pie shop.
I had seen these pies before in the fish and chip shop before, but never had one at the time my feeling was a pie came in a foil tray and my Mum and Dad were not fans of the pie althought my mum would see the light years later. I could have walked on and got some chips, but I just fancy trying one so I bought a small one. Needless to say I was hooked big time the pasty was so thick and tasty and the filling was a knockout.
What did I make of my first Clark's pie well I am still eating them today and it has been my pie of choice since then. I only have other pies if a clarkies is not available or the wife makes one.
You come home from a night on the pop walking up the garden path you see the light on the wife must still up and in your hand you have one nice wrapped Clarks Pie so what do you?
- Eat the pie before you go in or offer to share it knowing she is wanting up hoping for a Chinese. She will probably say yes to the pie sharing idea just to get youe back up.You could go in tell her you are up for a bit of slap and tickle sent her running up stairs with a smile on her face.
The fact is you are probably pissed, but looking forward to eating the pie once you are home. Has for sharing the pie! the rollicking you will getting bring home instead of a Chinese will give you a headache. You are drunk so there is little chance of any slap and tickle so just leave the pie in your pocket and have in for breakfast.
The day will come when every dad will walk hand in had with his son or daughter to introduce them to their first Clarks Pie. What do you do? Buy a large or small pie for the youngster? There is an art to eating one of these pies and of course, maybe a nibbler much easier for a youngest.
It has to be the training pie (small) to start their life with Clarkies. Stand up and walk around a bit to show him the correct way to eat a Clarkies on the move. Maybe over the next few weeks by his third pie he or she can move up from the training pie to a large.
Mary Clark's Pie Company, 454 Cowbridge Road East,
Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday 8.00am until 5.00pm
Saturday 8.00am until 2.00pm
Clark’ Pie Shop, 23 Bromsgrove Street
Monday to Saturday
Opening Hours:
10:00am till 1:30pm
Links
